"Women have always been right there on the front lines in Hip Hop, adding our flavor to what the men are doing and making it our own. B-girlz have been holding it down from jump. It's good to see them finally getting the recognition they deserve with We B*Girlz." -Missy Elliot
In 1985, B-Boys were all the rage, but where were the girls? Fast-forward twenty years for the answer: We B*Girlz, a lively look at the hot and happenin' world of B-Girlz of the twenty-first century as documented by photographer Martha Cooper and writer Nika Kramer. Breaking is back with a new twist as today's stylish fly girls can battle the best of them.
Featuring pioneering B-Girlz like Rokafella from the Bronx, who now dances professionally, and Asia-One from L.A., who organized and promoted the B-Boy Summit for ten years, We B*Girlz-the first handbook for accomplished or aspiring B-Girlz and the boys who admire them-showcases the dynamic style and nonstop energy of B-Girlz in action, in practice, and on stage. Providing inspiring insight into a previously little-known subculture that has swept the world, We B*Girlz includes chapters on Herstory, Girlz n' Crewz, B-Boys, Floor Warz, We B-Family, We B-Stylin', B-Girl Careers, and B-Girl resources, including information on websites, gear, events, competitions, and classes.
Cooper and Kramer first began documenting the new breed of B-Girlz in a breaking competition in Germany in 2004. Following the dancers to the biggest battles-including Mighty4 in San Francisco, the Spinfactor Finals in Rhode Island, Breaklanta in Atlanta, IBE in the Netherlands, and the International Battle of the Year in Germany-they photographed and interviewed B-Girlz representing everywhere from South Africa to New Zealand, from New York to California, and from Japan to Germany. Culminating in the first annual We B*Girlz competition at veteran B-Boy Ken Swift's studio in Brooklyn, Cooper and Kramer's work will introduce a new generation to the art of B-Girling.
